


A Coincidence Is What The Universe Does For Fun

by orphan_account



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Acquaintances to Friends to Lovers, Alternate Universe - All Human, Bill Potts Owns a Bar, Eventual Fluff, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humour, Human AU, Jennevieve Smith, Multi, Slow Burn, This is a gay mess, What did you expect from me, Will add more tags as I go, Wingman Gals, Yaz Is A Gay Mess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:35:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21875269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Yasmin Khan is now a qualified police officer, and has just moved out of the family flat. One night, she finds bar in the streets of Sheffield, and meets a new friend in Bill Potts, and is introduced to the captivating Jennevieve Smith who she can't, for some reason, seem to get out of her head.*Abandoned* Comment if you want to take over this fic.
Relationships: Amy Pond/Rory Williams, Heather (Doctor Who: The Pilot)/Bill Potts, Ryan Sinclair & Rose Tyler, The Doctor/Yasmin Khan, Thirteenth Doctor & Yasmin Khan, Thirteenth Doctor/Yasmin Khan
Comments: 23
Kudos: 69





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to 2020!  
> A new decade means a new fic from me, and this AU has been knocking around in my head all through the Christmas break.  
> Enjoy and leave kudos! (And comments if you have time, because I want to know where you want this to go)  
> Note: I really need to find a beta, so expect mistakes and notify me in the comments section.  
> Happy New Year!

Yasmin Khan leant against the wall behind her and sighed deeply. Working as a full-time officer was exciting, sure, no two days were the same, but was it exhausting? Yes, yes it was. It was only New Year's Day, but there was no respite with a job on the force. Her body was exhausted after the fitness training module she had been participating in, but her mind couldn't have been more awake.

She looked up. It was a cloudless night, bright stars like pinpricks of reason in a veil of uncertainty. It would be very cold soon, and she knew she should get home or get inside somewhere, but she couldn't face going back to her flat yet. She had just moved in, and didn't think she would be able to take the cluttered boxes and bare walls tonight until she was literally ready to drop asleep on the floor. 

So that left staying out for at least a few hours. She walked aimlessly about the winding streets for a while, unable to set her mind to anything, unusually restless. She was still unused to this part of Sheffield, and would probably require her phone to navigate her way back to her flat. 

Suddenly, she turned a corner, and was met by the bright lights of a bar, large windows showing the very busy room inside. Laughter escaped through the cracks in the doorframe. It was an old-looking bar, very different to the sleek, modern nightclubs that littered most of the streets in Sheffield, but it seemed much nicer, almost comforting. 

_God, I could do with a drink _, Yaz thought. She looked up at the sign above the door - the bar's name, Broken Record, was proclaimed loudly there - and made her mind up. She approached the wooden-and-glass door and pushed it open.__

__The noise that Yaz had heard before opening the door flooded out into the street like a wave. She quickly stepped inside, pulling the door closed behind her and allowing the warm air to wash over her. She slowly walked up to the bar table, a dark wood with beautiful carvings on the panels along the bottom. There was a woman there drying glasses, her hair many times more frizzy than Yaz's own. She was wearing a faded purple denim jacket and a Price t-shirt, a combination that not many people would be able to pull off, but she wore it well._ _

__As soon as Yaz sat down at one of the red leather seats, the woman looked up and smiled. "Hey, what can I get you?"_ _

__"Do you do cocktails?"_ _

__"Yeah."_ _

__Can I have a cranberry mimosa?"_ _

__The bartender raised an eyebrow. "You're lucky I still serve these after Christmas. It's not a new year cocktail, you know." She turned nonetheless and reached for the champagne and cranberry juice._ _

__She turned back quickly, cocktail in hand, and slid the drink across the bar, before leaning on it herself. "You're new, aren't you. I haven't seen you here before."_ _

__Yaz blushed at being so quickly singled out as a newcomer. "Yeah, I've just moved over from the other side of Sheffield. I'm Yasmin, by the way. Most people call me Yaz."_ _

__"I'm Bill. Bill Potts. So you just happened on my little bar then, did you?"_ _

__Bill raised an eyebrow at Yaz's surprise. "Yeah, it's my place. My grandad left it to me; I think he thought I needed something to keep me down. I was only 20, but it was the best thing he ever did for me."_ _

__She smiled at Yaz, who grinned back and replied, "Is it just you working here then?"_ _

__"Nah, normally my girlfriend, Heather, helps out, but she's getting ready for the performance."_ _

__"Performance?"_ _

__Bill pointed over her shoulder, and Yaz noticed that the room had gone quiet. All the attention seemed to be focused on the back of the room, where there was a raised stage-like section. There was a piano there, a baby grand that Yaz recognised as like the one from her primary school assemblies._ _

__A young woman stepped out, with short blond hair and pale skin, and, despite not facing her, Yaz could practically feel Bill smiling behind her. She sat down at the piano and flexed her fingers before glancing into that shadows at the back of the room and nodding._ _

__The first notes filled the room, a piece that Yaz recognised from her mother's old classical CDs. Primavera by Ludovico Einaudi. The woman's fingers slid gracefully over the white keys with a near impossible speed, fluid, like water, and the beautiful melody soared through the room._ _

__Suddenly, the melody paused, and the woman looked up again into the same shadows as another person stepped forward out of them. Yaz gasped slightly. She was gorgeous. A soft face with a sharp nose, framed by short, sleek blond hair._ _

__As the woman closed her eyes, and the soft timbre of a bowed string resonated away from her, Yaz tore her eyes away from her face and saw that she was playing a violin. The string melody wove around the piano line, neither with sheet music, but still perfectly in sync. In Yaz's opinion, the music was almost as beautiful as the violin player, whose eyes were still closed as if she was drawing the notes up from deep inside her soul._ _

__The woman's eyes suddenly snapped open. Even from the distance between the bar and the stage, and over the heads of a dozen people, Yaz could see the hazel-green irises looking directly at her, curious, but somehow wary. Her fingers never faltered once on the strings, but her eyes seemed to bore deep into Yaz, as if she were gauging her, or searching her. It was made no sense, Yaz knew, but it seemed like the most in-depth interrogation, conducted by eye contact alone._ _

__The violin quietened, leaving only the piano to conclude the piece. There was a beat of silence, before the applause began. Somebody wolf-whistled, and Yaz found herself whooping along with the other spectators to the performance. The two musicians laughed, and embraced, which left Yaz with a slightly bitter taste in her mouth which had nothing to do with the cranberries. Bill stood up behind her, left the bar, and ran up to the stage. The pianist(who must have been Heather) broke away and kissed Bill, and their clear, plain affection sated the sudden irrational jealousy that had sprung up inside Yaz._ _

__She scolded herself. She had no claim on this woman, didn't even know her name, had never even spoken to her. Hell, she didn't even know if she liked women. But Yaz just couldn't shake the feeling of somehow knowing her._ _

__Yaz glanced again at the still unnamed blond, and was surprised to see her still staring at her. Yaz made to move closer, but was driven back by the tide of human bodies thronging towards the stage. She found herself being pushed towards the exit and out of the suddenly open door. Yaz knew there was no point trying to get back in; it was simply too crowded._ _

__She sighed, and turned away, resigned to trudging back through the streets back to her flat. She shivered, regretting her decision this morning not to bring a jacket with her. It felt so long ago, so much had happened. She walked home briskly, trying to warm up, but not once on her journey home could she stop thinking about the blond violinist and her beautiful face._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> I'm intending to make this a much longer fic than my previous, and i hope that you will follow as I keep writing! I have made a writing schedule for this piece, so expect regular updates for once!  
> 


	2. Chapter 2

That night, Yaz dreamed for the first time in months. Her normally peaceful and blank sleep was invaded by the image of the curious gaze that had so enraptured Yaz's attention. She dreamt that they were walking together, in a field in bright sunshine. But then, everything went cold and grey, like the colour was being leached out from inside her subconscious brain. The woman disappeared, and Yaz felt terror, not for herself, but for this person whose name she didn't know, but had clearly captured her imagination thoroughly and irrevocably.

Yaz woke with a start, sitting up immediately, and then quickly falling back at the sudden vertigo. After a minute, she tried again, more slowly, and tried to recollect her thoughts. What had she been dreaming about again? _It was something to do with that woman _, she thought quietly to herself.__

She dragged herself out of bed, showered quickly, and moved to the flat's cramped kitchen. She quickly bunged a slice of bread in the toaster, and grabbed some butter from the fridge. As Yaz ate, she picked up her phone, and glanced at the 12 messages and 7 missed calls that her mum had left her. She snorted loudly as she looked at the messages, which started at the mundane - _"Hey Yasmin, just checking that you're settling in OK, call me when you get this."_ \- then quickly turned extreme - _"Yasmin Khan, you call me this instant! I do not want to hear that you have died in some godforsaken gutter on the other side of the city!"._

Yaz scrolled through her contacts and called her mum's number, before she did anything reckless. She picked up on the third dial. 

_"Yasmin! I have been worried sick!"_

Yaz sighed, slightly exasperated with her mother's overprotectiveness. "And hello to you too, Mum! I don't know why you were so worried. It's only been three days since we said goodbye, face to face!" 

_"Yes, and we've heard nothing since! Not a phone call, not a message, not a letter delivered by carrier pigeon, nothing! Just because you have moved out, young lady, doesn't mean that you can leave us worrying about you!"_

"Ok! I'm sorry! Don't yell at me too much, I'm nervous enough as it is. How have you lot all been getting on without me, then?" 

_"Well, I've been fine, obviously, and Sonja couldn't care less. She's too busy trying to sneak the new boyfriend into the house, the one she thinks I don't know about."_

"I told her it wouldn't take you long to find out! How's Dad?" 

_"Oh, don't get me started on your father! Yesterday, he moped around the flat for the whole morning, before trying to cheer himself up by cooking dinner!"_

Yasmin laughed. "Oh no! Did the neighbours call the fire department, or did he do it himself?" 

_"Very funny, young lady. Now I'd love to stay and chat all day, but I must stop Your father from destroying the whole block with another 'experiment'! We'll talk soon, and keep in touch this time!"_

__"Bye, Mum." Yaz put the phone down on the table and finished her breakfast. She wondered vaguely what she would do today; it was her first day of since her moving day. She could finish unpacking, but didn't think that her fried nerves could take the heavy boxes. she still didn't know her way around this area of the city well, so that ruled out a specifically targeted shopping spree, but it did open up an alternate idea._ _

___Exploring.__ _

***************************************************** 

___Yaz had spent about an hour combing the streets near her flat. she had found a thrift store she would probably soon be relying on, a music shop she had promised herself that she would visit at some point, and a surprising amount of tacky jewellery shops that she knew instinctively to avoid._ _ _

___And then she had ended up here. Again. It was the same bar that she had landed in last night, but now, in the day, they seemed to be serving food in a sort of cafe vibe. Yaz felt an urge to go inside, to see if that woman was there, to meet her properly, and she stepped inside. It was much quieter inside, and it only took her a moment to be noticed._ _ _

___"Oi! Yasmin! You still owe me for that cocktail last night!"_ _ _

___Yaz looked over to see Bill hollering at her from behind the bar, whilst simultaneously making a sandwich. She slid over to the bar with disappointment. A quick scan of the more cafe-like bar told her that the woman wasn't here. Even though she had only seen her from afar, Yaz felt like she would be able to recognise her in a crowd to rival Glastonbury._ _ _

___"Wasn't expecting you back here so soon." Bill's voice snapped her back into the present. She was leaning on the bar again, a glinting smile lighting up her face._ _ _

___Yaz put a fiver and some pound coins on the bar. "For last night. And can I have one of them sandwiches?"_ _ _

___"Sure," was the resounding reply, as Bill turned round to grab some ingredients. Surprisingly swiftly, there was a sandwich sitting quietly on the bar in front of Yaz, who picked it up, suddenly starving from all of the walking, and began to eat._ _ _

___Bill smiled at her. "So, did you like the show?"_ _ _

___"Huh?"_ _ _

___"Last night, did you like the show? I couldnt find you after the first piece, and you vanished so quickly, I didn't get a chance to ask you what you thought."_ _ _

___Yaz smiled back at the woman who she was starting to see as a friend. "It was amazing. Really. Primavera is one of my favourite pieces." Bill grinned at this, pleased, and Yaz raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing the pianist was Heather?"_ _ _

___Bill coloured slightly. "Heh, yeah. I met her when I had a job at her uni, and we kinda hit it off straight away." She looked suddenly wary. "You're not gonna be one of those people who gets all weird about gay relationships, are you, because this is my bar, and I can damn well kick you out if I want!"_ _ _

___Yaz quickly swung her hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Whoa, no, I'm fine with it. Hell, I'm a lesbian!"_ _ _

___The other woman coloured again, but for a different reason. "Oh no, I'm so sorry! I don't know why I say these things sometimes! It's like I can't read other people at all. I guess I've just had too much of straight people's shit to take any more."_ _ _

___"Hey, look, it's fine." Yaz smiled at her, all to familiar with the feeling that the whole world was against you. She'd certainly taken enough abuse herself throughout her 24 years of life. "So where is she today?"_ _ _

___"She's learning a new piece. They're performing her again night after tommorow. I said that they didn't need to go to all the trouble of learning a whole new piece, but Jenny hates repeating herself, and she is quite literally impossible to argue with." Yaz looked up, attention caught. "Jenny? Is that who was playing -"_ _ _

___A high female voice cut through the conversation, and made Yaz lean forward quickly to hide her face. "Do you serve early lunch here? Because I've got a train to catch and I cannot afford to be late."_ _ _

___Bill quickly caught on to Yasmin's discomfort. "Hated relative or ex?"_ _ _

___"Ex," said Yaz feeling slightly sick.___

 _ _ _"Messy breakup?"_ _ _

___"Yeah."_ _ _

___Bill leant on the bar in front of Yaz's face. "Take the fire exit to the left of the bar. It will take you out the back and you can walk round from there."_ _ _

___Yaz smiled gratefully, before swiftly standing up and going to the door. As she left, she could just hear Bill saying a hasty goodbye, before turning her attention to the waiting customer._ _ _

___*****************************************************_ _ _

___Yaz pushed the door shut behind her, closing her eyes and leaning heavily on the green-painted metal whilst taking deep breaths of the cool crisp air. Her eyes suddenly snapped open, as she heard the sounds of someone else breathing. Yaz turned her head, and saw the woman, the violinist from the night before. She had that curious look on her face again, like Yaz was a mystery that she couldn't seem to solve. In her hands, she was holding her phone and some white earphones that she had obviously just taken out._ _ _

___"You were here last night, weren't you? You saw me playing."_ _ _

___At the sound of her voice, Yaz stopped breathing. Her heart pounded, and she needed to take a moment to recover her respiratory system before replying._ _ _

___"Yeah, that's right. I'd just moved over from the other side of Sheffield, and was looking for something to do for the night." _Why on earth did I just say that? _Yaz cursed herself for speaking, as now she had lost her chance for a quick getaway without embarrassing herself somehow.___ _ _

___"My name's Jennevieve, but I have no idea why my parents called me that, and most people call me Jen or Jenny. Jenny Smith."_ _ _

____Jennevieve. _Yaz rolled it around in her head, like music, until she remembered that she was part of a conversation that required her input too. "I'm Yasmin Khan, but everybody who isn't my mother or my sister trying to act bossy calls me Yaz."___ _ _

___"Yaz," repeated Jenny, smiling. Yaz could feel something emanating from her, some sort of charisma, an infectious energy that made Yaz smile as well._ _ _

___Yaz suddenly blushed, and dropped the eye contact, pointing towards the short alley that led back onto the main street. "I need to go, so..."_ _ _

___Jenny smiled again. "Until we meet again, Yasmin Khan."_ _ _

___Yaz walked back to her flat, her shoes practically bouncing on the gritty pavement. She still didn't know what she was going to do for the rest of the day, but she felt pretty sure that it would involve a takeout pizza and unpacking at least some of the remaining boxes in her flat, but somehow, the prospect was no longer anywhere near as daunting as it had previously seemed._ _ _

___Through the rest of the day, Yaz felt a constant, positive energy, fueled by a strange anticipation._ _ _

___Something good was going to happen._ _ _

___She just knew it._ _ _


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, Yaz was back to work. She was in the office, uploading and cross-referencing witness reports to a recent spate of burglaries across the city. It was tedious work, but someone had to do it, and there was no easier target in the station than an officer in her first year of service.

At least the person she was working with wasn't a complete asshole. Maia Rotterel was in her third year as an officer, and was the only person who seemed to have time to be nice to Yaz when she was still in training. 

It was just the two of them in the small office, and it was a nice change for Yaz to not have to put on a show to impress any supervisors. 

But the work was still mind numbingly boring, and Yaz propped her chin up on both hands and stared blankly at the never ending list of reports. Unbidden, the image of Jenny smiling at her yesterday sprung into Yaz's vision, and she ground the heels of her hands into her eyes and groaned. She had only spoken to this woman once, but her mind was quite clearly captured. _Why am I so obsessed with her? _It made no sense.__

__"Missing home?" Maia's clear voice cut through Yaz's daydreaming like a glass of water to the face, and she was grateful for the distraction. Yas almost replied with a no, but realised that this was the perfect excuse for her distant behaviour._ _

__"Yeah." Maia grimaced for her, and Yaz felt a twinge of guilt for deceiving this woman who had been nothing but nice towards her._ _

__"The first week is a killer, I know, but I promise, it gets better." Yaz smiled at her, genuinely glad that there was at least one person who would be reliably kind to her in her present train wreck of emotions._ _

__Maia suddenly bent forward, grinning conspiratorially. "I tell you what, you look like you need some fresh air. Why don't you go out and get some food or something. I'll cover for you." She gestured around the otherwise empty office. "I mean, who's gonna know?"_ _

__Yaz stood up and leant on her desk. "Maia, you are the best. Seriously." They both laughed, and Yaz turned and left._ _

__**************************************************_ _

__Yaz hurried down the street, fully aware that she couldn't stay out for long. She looked up quickly - too late - and saw she was about to collide with a man walking the opposite way, with no time to avoid the impact._ _

__She walked smack into him, and just managed to right herself before she lost her balance._ _

__"Oh man, I'm so sorry!"_ _

__His voice sounded somehow familiar, but Yaz surmised it must be just someone she had talked to during her training, or something similar. "Nah, it's all my- Wait a minute!" Yaz properly looked at his face, following the sense of recognition._ _

__Yasmin Khan, Redlands Primary?"_ _

__The man half raised his arm to point at her. "Ryan Sinclair! Oh, my God! Yaz! Wow!"_ _

__Yaz grinned. "Ryan! It's been a while."_ _

__"Yeah, it really has. Where are you now?"_ _

__"I'm a police officer, now. Just finished my probational training three months ago."_ _

__Ryan chuckled. "I can't believe you followed that old pipe dream! You're a fed!"_ _

__"Yeah, we don't call it that," said Yaz, grimacing slightly. "And anyway, it was never a pipe dream!"_ _

__"It so was!"_ _

__They both laughed, pleased to see each other again. "So what about you? What you up to?"_ _

__Ryan grinned again. "Mechanics apprenticeship. Got my NVQ last year."_ _

__Yaz thought for a moment. It fitted with what she remembered. "Yeah, you always liked to take things apart. Remember taking out the boiler in January, when we were in Year 6? Everyone nearly froze to death, and you nearly got suspended!"_ _

__"Oh, yeah! My crowning achievement of primary school!" They both laughed again. "Hey, you know what, we should have a proper catch up sometime. Know anywhere good to get a drink?"_ _

__"Well, there's a good music bar on Watley's Road with a good performance tomorrow night, if you like that sort of thing?"_ _

__"Cool, when should I be there?"_ _

__Yaz thought quickly about the night before last, remembering the time. "About 9 ish alright?"_ _

__"Sure, sounds good. Hey, tell you what, I'll give you my number, just so we can stay in contact."__

__Yeah, OK." Yaz unlocked and handed over her phone, as Ryan tapped his number into it, and memorised hers to put into his._ _

__He gave it back, grinning. "I need to go, but see you there, then."_ _

__"Bye!" Yaz waved, but internally grimaced and cursed her big mouth. Of all of the bars in Sheffield, why did she have to say there?_ _

__Yaz quickly checked her watch. She had been out too long, and really needed to get back._ _

__**************************************************_ _

__Yaz burst back into the small office breathless, and grinned apologetically. "Sorry I was so long. Bumped into an old friend. Literally."_ _

__Maia smiled. "It's fine, nobody noticed. You look better, so that's good."_ _

__Yaz felt better. It was good to see Ryan again, it made this side of the city feel less lonely, and maybe with her old friend with her, she wouldn't make such a big fool of herself tomorrow night. She sat back down in the uncomfortable seat and got back to work._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing...Ryan!  
> The hopeless, straight mess!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad news: I have an impromptu holiday. And by holiday, I mean 4 days of sitting in a tent with no Wi-Fi or mobile signal, so I will be missing the next update slot.  
> Good news: Here's an extra big chapter to keep you guys going until next Saturday!

The next night, Yaz raced home as soon as her shift was over. It was already 7 in the evening, and the dimming sky had activated the mellow street lamps, guiding her towards the still unfamiliar flat. She began to pick out landmarks on her way back; the small clothes shop, the high street bakery, little things that marked her route back from the station and proved that Yaz was beginning to settle in her new area.

After what felt like an eon, Yaz found her way back to her block of flats, and climbed the two flights of stairs until she reached her own. She rummaged around in her jacket pockets for her key, and jammed it into the lock, swiftly sliding in through the white door. 

Yaz had managed to get most of her remaining unpacking done yesterday, so she could actually walk across the open-plan kitchen and living room without tripping over stacks of cardboard boxes. It was small, but by no means the worst flat she had ever seen, and she didn't need anywhere bigger right now anyway. 

Yaz walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, quickly stripping whilst the water warmed up, and slipped under the shower head, turning the temperature up as high as she could bear. She washed swiftly, and was soon blow drying her hair in her bedroom. 

Yaz decided to dress simply; black jeans, a blue-and-white striped tee and her denim jacket. After a second thought, she opened a drawer and took out her amethyst stud earrings that her grandmother had gotten her for her 22nd birthday. She fixed them in her ears and went out into the kitchen, suddenly hungry. 

Yaz pulled some leftover Chinese from the fridge, which she wolfed down, and quickly grabbed her shoulder bag and her phone. She locked the flat door behind her and put her keys in her right pocket. Turning away, she crossed the floor to the stairwell, and left the building. 

*****************************************************

It took a good 20 minutes for Yaz to make her way through the cold streets to the bar, but when she arrived, it was only 8:45. _I guess I might as well go in _, she thought. _No point standing around outside waiting for Ryan._ Yaz pushed open the door, and entered the building, glad of the warmth and the bright lights.__

_____ _

___"Oi, Yaz! Over here!" She turned to see Bill hollering at her from one of the larger circular tables, and walked over._ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz grinned. "How come you always see me before I see you?"_ _ _

_____ _

___Smiling, Bill tapped her temple with a long finger. "Ah well, that's for me to know, and for you to drive yourself sleepless trying to work out!" She gestured towards the familiar woman sitting next to her at the round table. "Yaz, have you met Heather yet? I think I mentioned her, but never introduced you."_ _ _

_____ _

___Heather was leaning on one arm, elbow on the table, and biting a pen in her other hand, but stood up quickly to greet Yaz. "I hope she hasn't said too much about me!"_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz laughed. "I barely know Bill yet, but I've already realised that whenever she opens her mouth, she says too much!"_ _ _

_____ _

___"Oi!"_ _ _

_____ _

___Heather chuckled lightly, her golden hair swishing slightly. "I think we will get along great." She went in to shake Yaz's hand, but Yaz misinterpreted the gesture, and hugged Heather instead. Yaz felt her freeze up slightly in surprise, but she quickly hugged her back. They laughed at the awkwardness of the moment._ _ _

_____ _

___They both sat down at the table, and Heather went back to staring at the neatly stacked papers around her. Bill explained. "I do the serving, she does the paperwork. I'm more of a people person, I could never do the accounts. Running the cafe in the day and the bar in the evening? Not got the brain power. Heather's the clever one."_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz nodded in understanding, before asking something that was bugging her. "Large table. Expecting more?"_ _ _

_____ _

___Bill looked up at her. "Well, there are some more coming. You'll need to meet everyone. This is the table we always sit at when everyone is coming. Exactly enough chairs, see? There's me and Heather, Amy and Rory, they're engaged, then Rose, she's the one who's leaving, she's PA to a woman who's got a business meeting in Portugal. Then there's Jenny, who I don't think you've met-"_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz cut across. "I've met her. Once. I've met her once. Out the back. Two days ago?"_ _ _

_____ _

___"Oh yeah, with that woman, and you had to use the back door." Bill grinned remembering. "Also, there's Jack coming-"_ _ _

_____ _

___" Oh no, didn't I tell you?" Heather looked up, with a worried expression. "Jack called earlier, he's got a night shift and he can't make it."_ _ _

_____ _

___Bill frowned. "So much for full house."_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz was slightly fazed by the discussion of people she didn't know, but didn't shy away from the conversation. "I invited a friend tonight, is that okay? I can get another chair." Heather grinned. "Boyfriend?"_ _ _

_____ _

___"Nah, old school friend. Anyway, I'm not into guys."_ _ _

_____ _

___Bill lightly cuffed her girlfriend on the back of her head. "Quit teasing her. And Yaz, it's fine, and with Jack not here, there are enough chairs."_ _ _

_____ _

___"Wait, but that would mean..." Yaz quickly counted. "Hey, you put one out for me!"_ _ _

_____ _

___Bill smiled. "Yeah, of course! I invited you, you're my friend. You didn't think I'd make you sit on your own, did you?"_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz grinned, surprised by this display of kindness. "You probably shouldn't of done that. You'll never get rid of me now!"_ _ _

_____ _

___A flash of red hair suddenly swept through Yaz's vision. "New addition?"_ _ _

_____ _

___Bill looked up again. "Oh no, you guys haven't met. Amy, this is Yaz, Yaz, this is Amy."_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz stood up and greeted Amy, who quickly turned. "Oi, stupid face! Get over here!"_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz looked over her shoulder, and saw a young man slowly moving over. She smiled. "Hey, I'm Yaz. I'm guessing you're Rory?"_ _ _

_____ _

___The man raised his hand in a half-wave. "Yep. Hello!" Amy walked back to him and dragged him to the large table. "Hey!"_ _ _

_____ _

___Amy sighed. "You are my fiance, and that means that I get to drag you to social situations! Stop fussing, and say hi to Yaz properly!"_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz laughed, and hugged Rory. They began chatting, and Yaz found herself talking to Amy about how everyone knew each other._ _ _

_____ _

___"Me and Rory, we go way back. Since I was 7. We met Jenny at primary school, and it was basically just us for a few years. Then I met Rose, who later brought along Jack, and Jenny met River, and they dated for a while, but River broke it off when she went travelling. Then Jenny met Heather in Sixth Form, and they both went to uni together, and Heather met Bill, and we all started to hang around here, as Bill owns the place."_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz nodded, actually interested in the back story of the group._ _ _

_____ _

___"What about you?" Amy asked. "Bill said you were bringing someone."_ _ _

_____ _

___"It's just an old friend I haven't seen in a while. He should be here soon."_ _ _

_____ _

___At that moment, Ryan came in through the door at the front of the bar. Yaz stood up and waved over a dozen or so heads, and he smiled when he saw her._ _ _

_____ _

___"Ryan! We're over here!"_ _ _

_____ _

___He slowly made his way between that were gradually filling with more and more people. When he finally arrived he grinned at everyone at the table, his hands fidgeting slightly. "Hey, I'm Ryan. I used to go to school with Yaz."_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz turned to the group, and introduced everyone in turn, and each one smiled at both of the newcomers. "There's Bill and Heather, and Amy and Rory. We're just waiting on Rose and Jenny." Yaz felt herself shiver involuntarily at saying Jenny's name, and clenched a fist slightly to try and overcome the irrational movement._ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz and Ryan sat down, and Bill stood up. "Anyone for drinks?"_ _ _

_____ _

___Amy cheered, and quickly requested a pint, and Rory followed her example. Heather asked for red wine, Ryan, a gin and tonic._ _ _

_____ _

___"Anything for you, Yaz?"_ _ _

_____ _

___"Just some water, please."_ _ _

_____ _

___Amy gasped in mock horror, slapping her hands to her face in an over-exaggerated state of shock._ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz swung her own arms up in surrender, and laughed. "Hey, I've got work tommorrow, and I don't think that getting absolutely shitfaced tonight is a great idea!"_ _ _

_____ _

___They all laughed, and Bill left to get the drinks. Heather looked curious. "What is it you do?"_ _ _

_____ _

___"I'm an officer. Finished my probationary training 3 months ago."_ _ _

_____ _

___Rory perked up. "Officer? Like, police?"_ _ _

_____ _

___"Yeah," said Yaz, grinning. "What about you?"_ _ _

_____ _

___He sat up proudly. "Nursing. Junior Nurse Williams. I'm at the Royal Hallamshire hospital. Glossop Road?"_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz nodded. "Oh, wow, so really not that far from me, then?"_ _ _

_____ _

___"Why, where are you?"_ _ _

_____ _

___"I'm up at Snig Hill."_ _ _

_____ _

___They both smiled at the link,and looked up to see everyone else greeting another young woman with blond hair and a bright red jacket who had just arrived._ _ _

_____ _

___"Rose, this is Ryan and Yaz, Yaz and Ryan, this is Rose," said Amy, gesturing between the three people. Yaz have a small half-wave and a smile._ _ _

_____ _

___"Hey, great to meet you."_ _ _

_____ _

___Rose pushed a lock of hair out of her face, and grinned. "And you. You're Bill's new friend, right?"_ _ _

_____ _

___"Yeah, I met her a few days ago." Yaz violently nudged Ryan with her elbow, suddenly aware of how much he was staring at Rose._ _ _

_____ _

___"Uh, yeah...nice to meet you."_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz sighed internally, remembering how annoying it has been following Ryan around in Year 6 when he had gotten his first crush. Something told her it would be even worse now._ _ _

_____ _

___Bill came back, holding a tray of drinks. Yaz gratefully received the cold water; the heat in the bar was intensifying._ _ _

_____ _

___Bill looked confused, and addressed Rose. "Where's Jenny? I thought she was coming with you."_ _ _

_____ _

___Rose turned in her chair and looked back towards the stage. "Yeah, she's just checking the amps, making sure everything's set up properly. Hey, look, she's coming over now."_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz glanced downwards to hide the sudden rush of blood to her face. God, it was like she was a teenager again. Maybe Ryan wasn't the only one gripped by a sudden crush._ _ _

_____ _

___"Ah, the mysterious Yasmin Khan, who leaves by back doors and rushes off suddenly. You look nice."_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz looked up only to flush again at the compliment. "...Thanks. So do you."_ _ _

_____ _

___And then Jenny smiled. God, that smile, it made Yaz develop a sudden arrhythmia of the heart. She could feel the dismembered beats throughout her entire body, and barely heard Ryan introducing himself again. It felt like she was._ _ _

_____ _

___Jenny took the only empty seat at the table, between Yaz and Ryan (who had moved over a seat to sit next to Rose) and Yaz practically stopped breathing._ _ _

_____ _

___"Hello again." Jenny grinned and Yaz felt again her infectious, bubbling energy and couldn't help smiling back. The chatter of the room around them faded away, and Yaz was no longer aware of her new friends around the table, only this woman who had...apparently just asked a question that she had completely missed._ _ _

_____ _

___"I'm sorry, what?"_ _ _

_____ _

___Ryan, who had evidently torn his attention away from Rose, snickered very conspicuously, and Yaz glared pointedly at him._ _ _

_____ _

___Jenny chuckled herself. "I just asked about your job! Rory said you were a police officer. I mean, seriously! That's amazing!"_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz snorted. "Yeah, it would seem like that, wouldn't it! Sure, it's interesting, but it's incredibly exhausting. How about you, what do you do?" Jenny's face lit up as she described her occupation, her hands waving animatedly. "I'm a music science researcher. At the moment, we've got a big project about how the muscle memory used when learning an instruments can increase brain function and capabilities. The neuroscience is absolutely fascinating!?"_ _ _

_____ _

___"Well, you certainly seem to love what you do," said Yaz, grinning._ _ _

_____ _

___"Yeah. It has the potential to help so many people. Like Mum."_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz leaned forward, confused. "Your...mum?"_ _ _

_____ _

___Jenny was staring down at the table, her brow scrunched up as if she was in pain, and she didn't seem to hear Yaz when she spoke. When she looked up a few seconds later, a smile so natural was plastered over her face that Yaz was half convinced that she had imagined the pained silence._ _ _

_____ _

___"Sorry, zoned out for a second. I do that a lot. What were we saying?"_ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz decided not to pry; there was clearly something going on that she didn't want to talk about, and Yaz had some experience with uncomfortable secrets. She simply smiled reassuringly. "We were talking about our jobs. Did you always want to do this, or was it a career you happened upon?"_ _ _

_____ _

___Jenny grinned gratefully, as if thanking Yaz for the distraction. "Well, I've always been passionate for science, and my aunt inspired my love of music. Its her old violin that I play. It's an electric one that she got about 25 years ago, then gave it to me when I started to get into music."_ _ _

_____ _

___Suddenly, Heather was standing behind the two women, smiling. "Jenny, it's 9:30. We're up!"_ _ _

_____ _

___Jenny grinned at Yaz quickly, before standing up and walking over to the raised stage area with Heather. Yaz was surprised when, upon reaching the stage, Jenny did not retrieve her violin; rather, she picked up an acoustic guitar. She quickly pulled the strap over her neck, a bright blue that contrasted with her black top, and walked over to the front of the stage._ _ _

_____ _

___The room quickly stilled, people quietened, and Yaz felt the anticipation in the atmosphere tingle on her skin. Jenny's fingers began to move across the guitar strings, drawing a beautiful melody from the instrument. Rose gasped quietly._ _ _

_____ _

___"No way, not my favourite song!"_ _ _

_____ _

___Jenny started to sing, and for the second time that night, Yaz was rendered speechless, because, oh, she could really sing. Yaz was swept away by the beautiful rendition of 'Stay Gold' and was listening so intently to Jenny that she barely noticed Heather's backing vocals and piano accompaniment._ _ _

_____ _

___Jenny sang out to the large room as her fingers flitted across the strings flawlessly, perfectly harmonizing with Heather. Her eyes quickly flashed up to meet Yaz's over the heads of a dozen other patrons, and they both smiled. Yaz felt like her face would burst._ _ _

_____ _

_For God's sake, I am not some teenager with her first crush! _She took a deep, calming breath, attempting to stop the blush from climbing her cheeks. She stared at her fists clenched on the table, fearing that if she looked up again, she would lose what tatters of control she had been able to regain.__

_____ _

____

_____ _

___The song finished, and gave way to loud applause. Bill and Amy whooped, and Ryan wolf-whistled. Heather smiled, then turned back to the piano, nodding at Jenny. They played a few more songs to finish the set, including an acoustic version of 'Everybody's Changing', and a few folk-pop style songs that Yaz didn't recognise._ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___They left the stage to more applause, and came and sat back at the large table, laughing and exhilarated, and were congratulated by everyone there._ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___Rose hugged Heather, grinning widely. "I can't believe that you learnt my favourite song! I'm only going away for 5 days! How could you not tell me this!"_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___Heather smirked. "Believe me, it was bad enough to stop Bill from blurting it out whenever she was around you!" Bill shoved her lightly in the shoulder, smiling widely, as everyone laughed_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___Time crept forward as they chatted, and soon the people at the table began to leave. First Rose, as she had to catch her flight early in the morning, then Ryan, then Amy and Rory, until it was just Bill, Hether, Jenny and Yaz left at the large table in the now quiet bar._ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___Jenny stood up. "I should be getting home. I'll pack up the stage, then head off. Bill, give us a hand with the amp, would ya?"_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___Heather grinned as Bill leaned back into her chair and groaned. "Aww, man! You know I hate lifting the heavy stuff!"_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___Before she even knew what she was doing, Yaz was standing too. "I could help?"_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___Jenny looked up, smiling. "Yaz! Brilliant! It's over here."_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___They walked over to the stage together, and Yaz felt a need to break the silence. "So, violin, guitar, singing. Anything else? Do you play piano?"_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___"Nah, I leave that to Heather. I stick to strings."_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___They reached the raised area and made their way to the back, where the amp was plugged in. "I thought a piano was a string instrument?"_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___Jenny shook her head. "Nah." She took Yaz's hand, sending jolts through her arm, and pulled her over to the baby grand and opened the lid._ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___Yaz pointed inside. "Look, strings!"_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___Jenny gently touched her hand, guiding it further towards the keys, and further electrifying her skin. "But see? Hammers. It's a percussion instrument."_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___Yaz looked at her, surprised. "I can't believe I've spent all 24 years of my lif e thinking it was a string instrument!"_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

___"Yes, well, it's a common misconception based on the harpsichord, which was plucked, and therefore in the string family. However, when it evolved into the piano, hammers were introduced, enabling features like sustain pedal and legato notes."_ _ _

_____ _

____

_____ _

It was adorable, really, the way she kept talking even when her audience had no clue about 95% of what she was saying. And her face was so close... _Stop it! _, thought Yaz, mentally shaking herself. She sincerely hoped that this crush faded quickly.__

_____ _

______ _ _

_____ _

___Jenny finished her explanation, then looked down at the amp on the floor, starting as if she had forgotten it was there. They both laughed, and lifted the amp (with much effort) into a cupboard in the corner where all of the performance equipment was kept._ _ _

_____ _

______ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz leant on the wall on the outside of the cupboard. "I'd better get going, I've got work tomorrow."_ _ _

_____ _

______ _ _

_____ _

___Jenny smiled widely at her. "See you soon?"_ _ _

_____ _

______ _ _

_____ _

___"Yeah." Yaz waved at Bill and Heather, who were still chatting at the table. "See you, guys!"_ _ _

_____ _

______ _ _

_____ _

___They both waves back and said goodby, and Yaz forsook the building's central heating for the cold night air, pulling her jacket tighter around her shoulders. Sudden exhaustion seeped deep into her bones, and she trudged home through the night, back to her flat._ _ _

_____ _

______ _ _

_____ _

___Yaz wearily opened the door, and locked it behind her. She collapsed onto her bed, still fully clothed, and sank into a deep, seamless sleep._ _ _

_____ _

______ _ _

_____ _


	5. Chapter 5

The next three days passed without much to note. Yaz got up, went to her shift, went home. Only on the fourth day, her day shift having finished early, did she come round to the realisation that she needed to stop living out of the large suitcase of her favourite clothes, and unpack the last two boxes of other garments.

Her wardrobe was quite large compared to the size of the bedroom, but sparsely filled. Only a few of her most worn tops and jeans were hanging from the rail, the rest in the three boxes stacked up in the opposite corner. Yaz pulled them out, pawing through the contents to prioritise spacing for the most necessary items. 

Her fingers brushed a slick, nylon fabric, and grasped at it, pulling out the unexpected clothes. It was her old running gear. Yaz used to use that a lot when she was still a probationer, but over the last year, she had been running less and less frequently, and she hadn't been for a couple of months. Her mum must have found it shoved at the back of a drawer in her old room, and packed it for her anyway. 

Yaz continued to put away the remaining clothes into the rapidly filling wardrobe, finishing quicker than she had expected and with a sense of relief at having finally finished all of her unpacking. She stood up, her legs aching from having been squatting for so long, and moved to leave the room. 

Yaz stopped with her hand on the doorframe, and turned back. She looked at her watch, still barely 3, then glanced back at the bottom drawer of the still-open wardrobe, weighing up the options in her head. _Well, it's not like I'm doing anything else this afternoon. ___

30 minutes later, Yaz's feet were pounding along the tarmac paths at Weston Park, the nearest to her flat. Ragged breaths dragged down her throat, and she relished the burn in her muscles. She hadn't realised how much she had enjoyed running, and how much she had missed it when she had stopped.

After another half hour, she was still going strong. Yaz hadn't expected to have retained that level of stamina, and delighted in the surprise of finding something that she was unexpectedly still good at. She would have to start running more often again, maybe dig out her old sports earphones. 

Yaz turned a sharp corner on the path, and saw only a flash of blond hair before hitting someone walking in the opposite direction. She felt a brief sensation of falling, before being caught by strong, slender arms. after righting herself, she turned to the person she had collided with, profusely apologising. 

"I am so sorry, I keep hitting people! Are you OK?" 

"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting to see _you _here!"__

____

Yaz's head snapped up, and she properly saw who she had run into. "Jenny! Oh my god, I almost bulldozed you!" She looked at Jenny, who despite being a couple of inches taller, was much slighter than Yaz. 

__Jenny raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Yeah, I doubt that."_ _

__Suddenly narrowing her eyebrows suspiciously, Yaz thought quickly. "Hang on a minute, you caught me. Like, my whole bodyweight. You didn't need help with the amp the other night, did you!"_ _

____

Jenny froze, caught of guard by the deduction, then broke into a grin. "Nah, I just really like annoying Bill by making her help me!" They both laughed at that. "So what are you doing here? Terrorising children by imitating a hurricane?" 

____

Yaz smiled. "Going for a run. Dug my old kit out of the last of the moving boxes. What about you?" 

____

"I live just round the corner. I come here to think." 

____

"Think? About what?" Was it her imagination, or did Yaz see a twinge of a blush rise on Jenny's cheek? 

____

"A-anything. Whatever's on my mind. It's quiet here, good to think things through. Or it was, until you ran into me!" 

____

Yaz looked incredulous. "It was pure coincidence that I ran into _you _!"__

____

__Jenny smiled a sparkling grin that made Yaz's heart drop through her stomach. "Never ignore a coincidence. Unless you're busy, in which case, always ignore a coincidence."_ _

______ _ _

"And are you busy?" 

______ _ _

"Nope." Jenny raised an eyebrow, as if in challenge. 

______ _ _

Was she _flirting? _Yaz hoped to the high heavens that Jenny wasn't flirting with her, because if she was, she didn't think that she could take it. Yaz dropped eye contact and laughed awkwardly, not entirely sure how to cope with the strength of emotion rushing through her.__

________ _ _ _ _

A brief flash of confusion swept across Jenny's face, but was swiftly swept away with another large smile. "Well, this time it's not you who is rushing of when the conversation's barely started. I need to go... somewhere, and I need to go now. In fact, that's where I was going when you ran into me. You can keep running now, I won't hold you up any longer." 

________ _ _ _ _

Yaz burst out laughing at the utter absurdity of the fast-talking blond, and took a minute to recover from the fit of humor. "See you around, Jenny." Yaz tried to hide the fact that she watched her walk away until she was out of sight. 

________ _ _ _ _

Yaz continued her run, but was too distracted to focus and put in enough effort, and soon admitted defeat. She reached her flat soon enough, letting herself in and quickly showering. 

________ _ _ _ _

Yaz found herself flicking through channels on her small television, looking for something to fill the rest of the late afternoon, when her phone pinged loudly. It was Ryan. 

________ _ _ _ _

_Hey, you free?_

She quickly shot a message back. _Yeah, why? ___

__

_Fancy meeting up for coffee?_

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______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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__

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Yaz chuckled. _Literally couldn't think of anything better right now. Where?_

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________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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__

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He sent her an address for some coffee shop called Habitat about ten minutes away, and Yaz grabbed her keys and her jacket, pausing only to check her front door was locked, and went out. 

____

__

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________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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__

____

Fifteen minutes later (she got very slightly lost), she was standing outside a small coffee shop, and pushed open the door. She quickly spotted Ryan in the reasonably full room, sitting at a two person table near the large window, and took the other seat. 

"Hey, Yaz." 

"Heya. What's up? You literally couldn't have picked a better time to meet up." 

"Yeah, I picked up the telepathic messages from your brain." He moved his hands mysteriously around his head, and they both laughed. It had been a long time since Yaz had goofed around with someone so freely, and it felt good to let her guard down. 

Ryan stood up. "What can I get you? I'm paying." 

"Oh, really? Could I have a cappuccino? I could really do with a caffeine boost. Thanks so much." 

"Course." He grinned, and walked up to the counter, quickly returning with two coffees. Yaz sipped at the foamy liquid, smiling gratefully. 

"What do you think of the place?" 

Yaz looked up, then looked around. "Yeah, it's really nice. Good atmosphere." She raised her mug as if in a toast. "Plus, good coffee!" 

They both grinned. "Heh, yeah. Found it a few weeks ago, and it's, like, the best place. And it's only three streets away from my nan's house, so yeah. Close." 

"Do you live with your nan?" 

"Yeah. And her new husband. Graham." 

Yaz put her mug down, and put her elbows on the small table, relishing in the fact that her mum wasn't here to yell at her for it. "What about your parents?" 

Ryan looked down, suddenly silent, and Yaz instantly realised she'd made a mistake. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that, it's...I'm sorry." 

He shook his head, looking weary. "Nah, it's OK. I should be talking 'bout it more any way." He sighed heavily. "Me mam died." 

Yaz leaned forward, and put a hand over his. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know." 

"She had a heart attack. I was 13. I...I found her. On the kitchen floor. Me dad, he left pretty quickly after that. I haven't seen him since, not even for Nan's wedding." 

"Wow, that's..." 

"It sucks, I know, but Nan's been great. I've lived with her since. She keeps trying to teach me how to ride a bike." Ryan chuckled slightly, but sadly. 

Yaz was confused for a moment, but remembered that he was diagnosed with dyspraxia when he was 11. She watched him draw in a deep breath, and try to change the subject. "So, how's policing worked out for you?" 

She smiled at his effort, and went along with it. "Well, after I finished probationary training, I did a lot of desk work, but I'm starting to get more day shifts on the beat. It's good to make a difference, however small, especially now I've moved on from sorting parking disputes." At this, Yaz offered a wry grin, one that Ryan returned. 

"So, what is it, then?" 

Ryan looked confused. "What is what?" 

Yaz raised an eyebrow, still smiling. "Why did you ask to meet here?" Ryan looked down again, this time embarrassed. "Does it perhaps have something to do with a Miss Tyler, by any chance?" 

He looked up, laughing nervously. "What? No way! Nah, not my type." 

Yaz nodded seriously, stifling laughter, and leaned back in her chair with her arms folded. 

"Okay, so she's totally my type. And maybe I am interested. A tiny bit. It's not even a crush. Barely a squeeze really." 

Yaz grinned at her friend's defensive babbling, and picked up her coffee again. "You can't hide anything from me!" 

Ryan clasped his hands on the table and laughed. "Nah, I've always been an open book. Nan says I couldn't lie to save my life." 

They talked for a long while, until closing time. The sky which had been steadily darkening when Yaz arrived was now as black as pitch, and there was a biting chill in the air. 

The two friends walked together for a while, after finding that their separate homes were only a 5 minute walk apart. They continued to chat about varied topics, from Ryan's friends from his apprenticeship to the most interesting cases that Yaz had heard about from her colleagues at the station. 

Finally, they separated, Ryan turning right to cross the river, Yaz turning left to turn towards her block of flats. They both gave a friendly goodbye, and Yaz walked the last couple of minutes alone, taking the opportunity to think clearly. 

Despite it being barely 8 in the evening (and the caffeine still coursing through her system), Yaz was suddenly exhausted. She quickly fixed herself a sandwich, then went to bed, pulling a book from the stack she had put on the bedside table in the absence of shelves. Yaz had always loved reading, since she was a toddler, when she had carried around books even before she could read, but she had been so busy lately that she hadn't found the time. 

Three hours later, as she finished the paperback, Yaz admitted to herself that maybe the coffee had had more of an effect than she had thought. She slid the book back onto the table, and rolled over, glimpsing a couple of stars through the cracks in the curtains. Their constant presence was calming, and soon, she found herself drifting peacefully and soundly to sleep. 

She didn't wake for the rest of the night. 

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	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another large chapter! This one has been developing in my mind for weeks, so I hope you enjoy!

The next morning, Yaz was suddenly awakened by her phone ringing away like a bunch of windchimes having a fit, and rolled over, slapping the bedside table repeatedly in an attempt to try and turn off the offending object. After nearly falling out of bed, and knocking over an empty glass, she finally located the phone and pulled the charger out, answering the incoming call.  
_"Hey Yaz! That you?" ___

Yaz rolled over sleepily, trying to get her fuzzy brain to trace the familiar voice. "Bill? 'S that you?"

____

_"Yeah, did I wake you up? I'm so sorry!"_

____

__She sat up in her bed. "Nah, it's good, I needed to get up anyway."_ _

____

_"Work?"_

____

___"Yeah." Yaz stretched out, yawning, and glanced at the sliver of sky through the curtains. It was starting to get light already; it was probably gone 7:30 by now._ _ _

____

_"What time do you finish?"_

____

___"Oh, um, probably, about five?"_ _ _

____

_"And you don't have anything tommorow? I mean, it is a Saturday."_

____

___"Well, no, I don't think so. Why?"___

_"Brilliant! Well, the only reason I'm calling at this seriously hellish hour is because Heather is still asleep. You, see, it's her birthday, and I'm sort of throwing a surprise slumber party in our flat over the bar?"_

____

___Yaz interjected the flow of speech. "A slumber party? Aren't we all a bit old for that?"_ _ _

____

There was a pause. _"Nah, she's gonna love it. Trust me."_

____

___"OK. Who's going to be there?"_ _ _

____

_"Everyone! Oh wait, except Rose, she's not coming back until tomorrow, but we couldn't miss tonight."_

____

___Everyone. That meant Jenny._ _ _

____

_"Jack will be there, so you can meet him. If you're coming, that is."_

____

___Yaz grinned. "Hell, yes! Of course I'm coming!"_ _ _

____

There was clear relief down the telephone line. _"Oh, good, I wasn't sure. Could you, like, extend the invitation to Ryan? I'd ask him myself, but no-one has his contact details, and I thought you might."_

____

___"Yeah, well ask Rose, I'm sure he slipped her his number at some point," Yaz mumbled with a wry grin._ _ _

____

_"Sorry, didn't catch that."_

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___"I said, yeah, of course I'll ask him. What time should I come over?"_ _ _

____

_"Is 8 alright? It's when the others are coming."_

____

___"Sure, that would be great."_ _ _

____

_"Now, go to work and save the world! I'll see you this evening!"_

____

___"They both laughed. "See ya!" Yaz hung up, and fell back onto her pillows, grinning. At least there was something to look forward to today, after a shift in the office. She was still for a moment, then pulled the covers of and slid out of the bed._ _ _

____

___Over her breakfast, Yaz called Ryan to see if he would be coming. Whilst his response was less enthusiastic, he eventually said that he would turn up._ _ _

____

___Throughout the day, Yaz was much more cheerful than usual, a change that was remarked on by her colleagues. Some miracle occurred, and the day seemed to fly by, quickly dropping her at the end of her shift._ _ _

____

___Soon, Yaz was at home, packing for the night at someone else's flat. She'd gathered all of the essentials; a classic novel (Mansfield Park by Jane Austen), deodorant, a toothbrush and the sleeping bag that her mum had made her bring to the flat in case there wasn't a bed, just in case there weren't enough beds in Bill's place. She decided against bringing specific pajamas, instead packing a plain black tee and leggings to sleep in._ _ _

____

___Yaz moved into the kitchen, deciding to make some food before she left. She opted for beans on toast, pulling a pan out of the drawer and a tin out of the cupboard. _Maybe Dad just put me off cooking properly forever _, she thought to herself with a grin.___ _ _

____

___After eating, she waited for a bit, not wanting to arrive too early. She read the first dozen chapters of a new book shed gotten as a leaving present from her Mum, but got a little too engrossed, only looking at her watch when it had just gone 8 p.m._ _ _

____

___"Shit!" Yaz quickly stood up, racing to the bedroom to grab her bag, snatching her jacket from the hallway and slamming the door behind her._ _ _

____

___Ten seconds later, she was opening the door again, and streaking to the elevated cupboard in the kitchen where she kept plasters and painkillers, and other general medical supplies. Yaz slipped a full box of hangover tablets into her bag. Just in case. She grinned to herself, and left again, running down the stairs in a bid to not be too late._ _ _

____

___**************************************_ _ _

____

___Exactly eight minutes later, Yaz was outside Broken Record, breathless from running the half-mile from her flat. There was a clos She pushed open the door, which was unlocked, stepping in and leaning on it as it shut, attempting to recover before she went up to the home above the bar._ _ _

____

___"Yaz!"_ _ _

____

___Bill's head popped up from behind the bar, startling Yaz half to death. She quickly put her hands up in a defensive gesture, but Yaz was unsure what for._ _ _

____

___"Hey! It's only me! Oh, you didn't scream. Amy and Rose would have screamed. Rory too, probably."_ _ _

____

___Yaz grinned at this. "It's hard to imagine Amy screaming."_ _ _

____

___"Oh, she acts tough, but she's a big softie. Especially when she's drunk, so prepare for that tonight," Bill laughed._ _ _

____

___"Drunk? I thought so. I brought hangover tablets just in case." "Oh, you didn't, did you? You are amazing! We ran out after Rose made everyone come over for New Years Eve, and I keep forgetting to get more. You don't mind if everyone uses them, do you? We might need them later."_ _ _

____

___Yaz laughed as well. "Yeah, of course you can! My way of payment for the invite." "As I said, you are amazing." Bill grinned. "We were expecting you early. You're normally early."_ _ _

____

___Yaz was normally early, to everything, but that was an particularly astute observation from Bill, seeing as she had only met up with her at two separate time-bound events, and one of them Yaz didn't even know the time when it started. "Yeah, well, lost track of time. Sorry."_ _ _

____

___"Oh no, it's fine. People swerve around my expectations all the time. I mean, right now, I need to get more alcohol because Amy arrived early and made everyone do multiple shots!" They both laughed at that. "Heather's at an art class, and she should be about another twenty minutes. Why don't you come up?"_ _ _

____

___Bill led her to a door behind the bar, which had a short staircase behind it. They both walked up, into a long corridor. Bill gestured to the three doors on the left hand side of the hallway. "These doors go into the living room-kitchen place. I don't know why there are three, there just are." She then pointed to the three doors on the other side, closest first. "That one's mine and Heather's bedroom, then the guest bedroom, and the far one's the bathroom."_ _ _

____

___Bill walked into the main room, and Yaz followed. Ryan had already arrived, he was sitting on one of the two white sofas along with Rory, and Amy was perched on the arm of the sofa. Jenny sat on the other in black jeans and a red sweater that suited her well, and a man who Yaz didn't recognise was sitting next to her, and he stood up and walked over when he saw Yaz come in._ _ _

____

___"You must be Yasmin, Bill said you were coming. I'm Jack. May I say that you look exceptionally pretty tonight?" He said that with such a charming smile that Yaz was sure that most women (and probably a lot of men) would practically melt into his arms._ _ _

____

___However, she simply smirked. "Sorry, but you're barking up the wrong tree."_ _ _

____

___Bill laughed. "Nice one. Believe me, Jack barks up every tree. Literally. Every. Single. One. He will flirt with anyone!"_ _ _

____

___Jack grinned "What can I say? Most of the time it works!" Bill moved over to the kitchen counter."Either of you want a drink?"_ _ _

____

___"Nah, got a beer on the go," said Jack, pointing at the coffee table._ _ _

____

___Yaz thought for a second. "House red? Just to get started?"_ _ _

____

___Bill grinned and opened a cupboard, and a few seconds later, a near-full wineglass was slid across the counter towards Yaz. They all walked over towards the sofas and sat down, Jack on a nearby chair, Bill next to Jenny and Yaz pointedly ignoring her head and sitting on the arm of the other sofa, mirroring Amy's pose._ _ _

____

___They talked for a few minutes, until Bill leaned forward and shushed them all loudly. "That was the front door! She's here!"_ _ _

____

___Everyone hid behind various pieces of furniture, and Yaz found herself being pulled behind one of the sofas by Jenny, who grinned at her, and Yaz couldn't help grinning back, once again feeling her infectious, bubbly energy._ _ _

____

___Yaz heard movement on the stairs, and then Heather calling out in her soft voice. "Bill? I'm back!"_ _ _

____

___She walked into the lining room and Jenny jumped up, Yaz a second later._ _ _

____

___"Happy Birthday!"_ _ _

____

___"Happy Birthday, Heather!"_ _ _

____

___"Yeah, Happy Birthday!"_ _ _

____

___Heather's jaw dropped, and she started to laugh, clearly delighted. Bill skipped over to her and took her hand, and Heather turned to her girlfriend._ _ _

____

___"You did this?" Bill grinned and Heather laughed again. "And I said you couldn't keep a secret!"_ _ _

____

___"Yeah, but it's your birthday! I had to do something!" At that, Heather took Bill's face in her hands, pulling her down into a long kiss._ _ _

____

___After a few seconds, they looked up into a sea of congratulatory smiles and awkwardly averted faces. Amy quickly diverted attention, stepping out into the middle of the room and taking control. "Everyone's here, and it's a birthday, so that means...drinking games!"_ _ _

____

___A chorus of whoops was let out, and Bill went to get a large tray of shotglasses and some bottles, leaving the others to gather around the large coffee table between the sofas. Amy cleared her throat. "Okay, so first game. Two teams of four, so I think, Heather, Bill, me and Jack, and Yaz, Ryan, Jenny and Rory. Is that good?"_ _ _

____

___After receiving nods from all, Amy continued with her explanation. "OK, so the first team decides an order, and the first person tells an amusing story about someone else in their team. Then the other team has to guess whether it was true or not. If they guess right, the person who told the story has to take a shot. If they guess wrong, they all have to take a shot. Good?"_ _ _

____

___After more nods and "yeah"s, Amy decided that she would start. "OK, so this one's about Jack, OK? Alright, so, we were out at a bar in the city center, this was before we knew Bill, so it was me, Jack and Amy, and we were all drinking at this bar. Jack gets up, right, and goes and starts talking to this guy at the bar. Now, he's quite obviously flirting, all my quite loudly, and this guy is just ignoring him. Then this absolutely massive guy comes over, and claims to be the other guys boyfriend! And he's big, really big, bigger than Jack, all mind he's spoiling for a fight. So Jack lets him take a swing at him first, which he ducks, and then Jack just punches him clean on the forehead and knocks him out. Stone cold. So anyway, the police get called, and we all ended up with a lifetime ban from the bar!"_ _ _

____

___Everyone laughed, and Yaz's team started to discuss the tale. Jenny was sceptical. "I can believe the flirting bit, because I've known Jack for more than two seconds, but I have more of a problem with the boyfriend guy. I mean, it's quite a person who will actually get into a fight with him. Jack normally just sweet talks them until they let him go."_ _ _

____

___Yaz was thinking deeply, following an instinct and a fragment of memory. "Yes! There's this guy up at the station, and he always has a tonne of weird sounding story's about cases he's been on. I'm sure he told me one about a relatively small guy knocking a much larger one out cold in a bar!"_ _ _

____

___Jenny looked at her. "Sure?"_ _ _

____

___"Sure."_ _ _

____

___Amy was smiling confidently at them, but Yaz couldn't decide if she was just trying to out-psych them, and hesitated until Ryan spoke for her._ _ _

____

___"We're gonna say that was a true story." Amy groaned, and pulled an shot glass and a bottle of tequila towards her. Yaz's team whooped loudly at the first win._ _ _

____

___Next, Yaz told a tale about Ryan throwing up on the headmistress in assembly when they were 10, which the other team guess correctly was false. Heather spun a yarn about Amy deciding to try to fill a bathtub with alcohol and drink her way out. They guessed it was false, but it was actually true, leading to a round of shots for the whole team._ _ _

____

___They played that for a while, and Yaz learned some very interesting things, like why Bill was never allowed to make food when drunk, and Jack's secret phobia of geese ("Because they actually are terrifying!"). A few rounds of 'Where's the water?' later, and most of them were too drunk for their own good._ _ _

____

___Yaz looked around, and saw Rory already passed out on the couch, Amy and Jack taking it in turns to desperately down large glasses of water from the tap, and Bill and Heather quietly talking by the window. Ryan had subtly absquatulated already, claiming he had work tomorrow and would already be more hungover than was good for him, and Jenny was nowhere to be seen._ _ _

____

___Bill suddenly turned and addressed the people in the large room. "So I'm assuming that everyone except Ryan is staying the night?" Her words were very slightly slurred, revealing how even the barowner was just past her limit._ _ _

____

___The question seemed to be mostly aimed at Yaz, being the newcomer, and she felt a need to reply. "Yeah, I'm staying. I brought overnight stuff and everything."_ _ _

____

___Bill grinned widely at this, clearly pleased. "So sleeping in usual places? Me and Heather, we'll be...we'll be in our room, Jack and Yaz on the sofas, we have blankets, Rory and Amy, the airbed's blown up in the cupboard. Good?"_ _ _

____

___Everyone nodded, and Heather (who seemed the most sober) went to help Rory get the hard-to-manouver airbed and stacks of blankets and pillows out of the cupboard on the far side of the room._ _ _

____

___Yaz turned to Jack nearby, slightly confused. "What about the second bedroom? Is it empty?"_ _ _

____

___He shook his head. "Nah, that's Jenny's room when she stays here. She always sleeps in their."_ _ _

____

___Before Yaz could ask why, Jack had moved over to Amy on the opposite sofa, leaving Yaz with more questions than she'd had before. He quickly grabbed the beer that Amy had been about to swig from, and moved it out of sight. "I think you've had enough to drink tonight, don't you? Think of y he hangover!"_ _ _

____

___Amy protested, reaching for the missing bottle. "What? But I'm...I'm not even drunk. Totally...totally sober. Look, walking in a straight li-" She stood up to demonstrate, but promptly fell face first onto the airbed that Heather had just layed down, snoring lightly._ _ _

____

___Her fiancé chuckled, clearly used to this behaviour, and gently pulled a blanket over her sleeping body. Yaz quietly excused herself to the bathroom to brush her teeth and change into the cloths she had brought to sleep in._ _ _

____

___In the bathroom, she quickly moved the toothpaste around her mouth to get rid of fhe taste of stale alcohol, then spat it out. Yaz also chucked back two of the hangover tablets, knowing from experience that this would make her feel significantly better tomorrow morning. These were followed by a large amount of water. Yaz was very relieved that she hadn't drank so much that she'd thrown up; even through her fuzzy state of mind, she could imagine the embarrassment._ _ _

____

___After changing quickly, Yaz walked back towards the main room, but stopped outside the second bedroom. She had heard a click and a squeak, like a door opening. Not sober enough to realise it was probably a bad idea, she opened the door._ _ _

____

___It was a smaller room than she had expected, just a double bed and and couple of cabinets with lamps on them. The wall opposite to the door was all glass, with a glass door leading out onto the balcony that Yaz had seen from the street below, and there was Jenny, leaning on the bar that stretched around it and looking over the city._ _ _

____

___Yaz followed some sudden impulse, and walked out onto the balcony to join her. As the door opened, creaking slightly from disuse, Jenny's head darted around, but upon seeing it was Yaz, her shocked face broke into a wide smile. "Hey!"_ _ _

____

___"Sorry did I make you jump?"_ _ _

____

___Jenny laughed. "Maybe a little, but it's fine. I'm just normally the only one who comes out here."_ _ _

____

___Grinning, Yaz looked over the balcony wall. "I can see why. It's a lovely view from here."_ _ _

____

___Jenny glanced down to the skyline. "I guess it is, but I don't look at the city."_ _ _

____

___"No?"_ _ _

____

___"No. I look at the stars."_ _ _

____

___Yaz followed her gaze upwards and stifled a gasp at the grace and brilliance that the stars reflected back at her. "Wow. I never looked at the stars. Not properly. I'll never see the Sheffield skyline in th ed same way again."_ _ _

____

___Jenny laughed, but sadly, almost wistfully. "People don't look. They don't realise how the most beautiful things are right in front of us."_ _ _

____

___Yaz looked at her. "No. They don't."_ _ _

____

___Jenny gave her sad laugh again. "Look, you're not even seeing them now. You're looking at...me."_ _ _

____

___Suddenly realising that she was staring, Yaz quickly dropped her gaze, thanking the cold night air for masking the blush rising through her cheeks. "Sorry."_ _ _

____

___"No, it's OK, nothing against staring, I could out-stare a snake, and they don't have eyelids. No, it just took me by surprise."_ _ _

____

___Yaz frowned, confused. "Surprised?"_ _ _

____

___Jenny shook her head slightly. "Ignore that, I'm just not sober enough to deal with life right now. I'm going to bed."_ _ _

____

___As she moved towards the door, their hands brushed, and Yaz jumped back about a foot in shock at the sudden electrical fizzing sensation cutting through her alcohol-fuelled haze, and Jenny turned back concerned. "You OK?"_ _ _

____

___Yaz nodded, rubbing her hand gently and fighting goosebumps that were nothing to do with the cold. "Yeah, just...you have freezing hands!"_ _ _

____

___Jenny immidiately tucked her hands under her arms, attempting to warn them up with body heat and the wool of the jumper she still had on, and they both laughed. "Sorry! Well...I'd better..."_ _ _

____

___Yaz frowned again, then realised Jenny was looking for a polite way to ask her to leave the room so she could change. "Oh! Oh, I'm sorry! I'll go!"_ _ _

____

___She scurried around the double bed to the door, but looked round one more time, and saw Jenny's lingering smile that had followed her around the room. "Night."_ _ _

____

___"Sleep well."_ _ _

____

___"You too." Yaz returned the smile, and slipped through the door and leant on the wall of the corridor, breathing shallow. She looked down at the forgotten clothes and toiletries in her arm and remembered that there were more than two people in the flat. She laughed at herself, and her giddiness, and turned to go back into the main room where she would be sleeping that night._ _ _

____

___As she walked in, all of the lights were out, and there was only one person still awake on the far sofa. "Wow, this one brought sleeping clothes to her first time! That's preparation!"_ _ _

____

___Yaz laughed again as she waited for her eyes to adjust, but could still tell exactly who was speaking. "Jack, be quiet! Everyone else is sleeping!"_ _ _

____

___He whispered so quietly that she could barely hear him. "Sorry."_ _ _

____

___Grinning, Yaz sat on her sofa, discarding her unneeded sleeping bag in favour of Heather's blankets. "Go to sleep, Jack." She bunched the blankets around her, and rolled towards the back of the sofa._ _ _

____

___She didn't know if it was the alcohol still in her system, or something else, but she took a long time to get to sleep herself._ _ _

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am struggling with writers block for chapters 7 and 8 (and also the foreseeable future of this fic!) so I would welcome advice and ideas about where you want it to go. Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter today, as was saying, writer's block!  
> Hope it's not too bad!

Yaz woke the next morning to sunlight streaming through the curtains that were definitely not open last night, stark proof that it was much later than when she normally woke up. She dragged open her sore eyelids and immediately felt a sharp pain through her forehead.

She had vague memories of the night before, but not enough to see a full picture. A short fragment of them all chanting "Shots! Shots! Shots!". A brief glimpse of games and drinking way too much. And, oh God, going into Jenny's room. _Shit. _She hoped that she'd been a coherent idiot, rather than just a very strange idiot. She stood up, rubbing her temples, thankful that at least the hangover really wouldn't be that bad, as long as Yaz got something to eat. And quickly. A waft of some delicious frying smell drifted over to her, and she turned to see who was cooking.__

_Of course. It would be, wouldn't it._ The back of a head of blond hair was all Yaz could see as Jenny busied herself about making breakfast on the small gas stove. She stood there for nearly a whole minute, just staring silently, until eventually, Jenny turned around carrying a plate, which shook Yaz out of her sudden stupor. 

___"Oh, good morning! I didn't realise anyone else was up, but I made a start on breakfast!" Jenny tipped the plate forward slightly so that Yaz could see the small stack of thick pancakes._ _ _

___Yaz laughed. "You can cook! As in, more than microwave meals and beans on toast!"_ _ _

___"A little, I guess," said Jenny, smiling. "I'm surprised you can't!"_ _ _

___"Yeah, well, I think my dad's cooking disasters have permanently put me off!"_ _ _

___They both grinned, and Jenny turned back to the stove, but continued to talk. "I wasn't expecting anyone to wake up for another ten minutes. Also, you drank a lot last night. How's your head?"_ _ _

___Yaz was surprised by the genuine concern in her voice. "Oh I had a couple of hangover tablets last night. Really helps with the next morning."_ _ _

___Jenny chuckled. "Good thinking! Also, forward thinking, seeing as Bill ran out at New Year, so you must have brought your own. I knew you would be clever!"_ _ _

___After dipping her head slightly to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks at the compliment, Yaz breathed slow, calm breaths, then glanced up again. "What about you? You seem fine?"_ _ _

___"Smart drinking plus electrolyte and mineral ion replacement as soon as I woke up." Jenny cocked her head slightly in confusion. "Why are you looking at me like that?"_ _ _

___"Like what?"_ _ _

___"Like nothing I say makes sense."_ _ _

___Yaz laughed. "Because I clearly never paid enough attention in Biology! So much for clever! Also, not much that you say makes sense, even when you're not spouting incomprehensible science talk!"_ _ _

___Jenny seemed genuinely worried. "What doesn't make sense?"_ _ _

___"Well, you talk about other people, and what other people have done for you, but never about yourself. You care more about other people than yourself. Like, I bet you could tell me exactly how everyone else has their pancakes."_ _ _

___Jenny grinned. "Bill has raspberries, Heather strawberries, Amy likes bacon and maple syrup since she went to America, Rory always has honey and butter, Rose and Jack prefer them plain."_ _ _

___"And you?"_ _ _

___She looked down self-consciously. "Whatever other people are having."_ _ _

___Yaz laughed. "See what I mean? It's confusing. I don't get to see the real you!"_ _ _

___Jenny seemed slightly shocked. "I never thought of it in that way. I just want to help people." She bit her lip for a moment, such a beautiful motion that Yaz nearly gasped, then she grinned, moving her cooking things back and jumped up, perching on the counter and gesturing for Yaz to do the same. "So what do you want to know?"_ _ _

___Yaz let out a short, confused laugh. "What?"_ _ _

___"About me. I'll tell you about myself."_ _ _

___Surprised at her opening up so quickly, Yaz took a second to reply. "Um...OK. What are your interests? What do you like to do in your free time?"_ _ _

___"Well, I spend a lot of time with the gang, but on my own, I read a lot...I bake sometimes, I listen to a lot of music. I tutor a little as well, I help a few local children with their science and music stuff."_ _ _

___"I used to read all the time, but I've been too busy to read much recently. It's a lamentable tragedy." Yaz said it so seriously that they both suddenly cracked up laughing._ _ _

___After they had recovered, Yaz asked another question. "Favourite food?"_ _ _

___Jenny arched an eyebrow. "Favourite food already? Bit mundane, isn't it?"_ _ _

___Yaz shrugged, as if she had some higher use for the trivial information._ _ _

___"Custard creams."_ _ _

___"Seriously?"_ _ _

___Jenny nodded, slightly embarrassed. "Yup. It would probably take rehab to stop me from eating them. I'd probably get withdrawal symptoms!"_ _ _

___They both burst out laughing again. It seemed unusually easy and relaxed between them, something Yaz wasn't used to after 24 years of mostly strained social situations. "OK, another question. If you had to live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?"_ _ _

___"Ooh, that's a good one. Um, I'd say Greece. It's absolutely gorgeous, brilliant food, and I am fascinated by the mythology and culture."_ _ _

___Yaz filed this away in her brain for future reference. "Interesting. What was young Jenny like?"_ _ _

___Jenny gave a small, nostalgic smile. "I spent most of my time with Amy and Rory, but I was one of those children who really loved school, y'know. I was top of my class in every test, especially science and maths. I was in my school orchestra, that was really great, and I did a lot of other extra curricular stuff as well."_ _ _

___"Well, I hope you enjoyed the massive amount of free time you had," Yaz deadpanned._ _ _

___At that moment, Bill trudged into the room, clearly very hungover. "Jenny, why did you let me drink so much?" she whined quietly, rubbing her head._ _ _

___Jenny chuckled slightly. "I said it was a bad idea to get so much alcohol!"_ _ _

___"Why do I never listen to you?"_ _ _

___Jenny pushed off the counter and embraced her friend. "Because you wanted to give your girlfriend a brilliant evening. No one's knocking you for that." She bent in closer, and said just loud enough for Yaz to hear. "I made you pancakes!"_ _ _

___Bill moaned loudly. "Oh my god, this is why I hang around with you. You are a star!"_ _ _

___Jenny moved back over to the counter and took off the plate she'd been using to keep Bills pancakes warm, covered with melted butter and fresh strawberries. Bill started to eat and Jenny turned back to Yaz._ _ _

___"I'm cooking up another batch for me. Want me to make you some? You look like you could really do with some food."_ _ _

___Yaz nodded vehemently, her stomach cursing her for getting distracted by Jenny. "That. Would be. Amazing. Bill is right, you're a lifesaver."_ _ _

___Ten minutes later, three empty plates were stacked up by the sink, and the three friends had become four after Heather had woken and come to join them. The conversation drifted between topics, eventually landing - somehow - on the concept of time, Jenny and Heather debating with Yaz and Bill taking a back seat._ _ _

___Jenny spoke so confidently that Yaz felt an urge to believe that all she said was the truth. "Yes, but the whole appearance of time as linear is flawed. I mean, time as a measure doesn't even exist in quantum physics!"_ _ _

___However, Heather seemed more used to the charisma, and was able to put up a clear argument. "Jenny, this isn't one of your neuroscience groups that you feel the need to show off to! We are talking about the psychological perception of time, not the fundamental equations that define the universe!"_ _ _

___"Are they always like this?" Yaz stage - whispered._ _ _

___Bill chuckled quietly. "Trust me, this is a good day! Most of the time I barely understand every other word!"_ _ _

___Yaz stood up, effectively stopping the debate in its tracks. "Well, I should probably make a move, it's nearly eleven, and it doesn't look like those guys are gonna wake up any time soon." She gestured towards Amy and Rory still on the airbed and Jack lying motionless on the sofa._ _ _

___Smiling widely, Heather stood up and embraced her. "That's fine. I hope you enjoyed last night!"_ _ _

___"Yeah, I had a great time!" Yaz hugged Bill as well, but when it came to Jenny, she performed an awkward half-wave that left Jenny confused and Yaz turning quickly to hide her embarrassment and grab her bag. She picked up the few items she hadn't already stuffed into it, and smiled at everyone again._ _ _

___Bill grinned back. "See ya!"_ _ _

___"See you soon!" Yaz shot one last smile over her shoulder as she left the flat._ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend read this so far and said this.  
> My friend: Do you realize the amount of self-reflection in these characters?  
> Me: *looks around awkwardly* Don't know what you're talking about!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Yaz's fam!  
> Hoping I've got the characterization right, so tell me if any thing's not right. Enjoy!

The next week that passed was a good one. Yaz spent her shifts on the beat, infinitely better than the desk work she had been doing. Most evenings, she was at the bar, hanging out with her new friends. Ryan was up there often as well, if only to see Rose now she was back in the area.

On Friday, almost exactly a week since the party, Yaz had just finished roll call, ready to start her shift cruising around the area, when she heard a familiar voice. 

"So, how's my best probationer doing as an officer?" 

Yaz turned, smiling. "Ramash! It's good to see you! Yeah, everything's going fine at the moment." 

Her probationary officer chuckled. "Still kean? We'll see how you feel in a few months!" They both grinned. 

"Well, it's better than all of those parking disputes you made me do!" Yaz laughed. 

"Anyway, I've got a message. There's been an issue with the communication software on the computers, and you didn't receive the memo. They were going to call you over the weekend, but I wanted to see how you were getting on myself." 

Yaz grinned at his long-winded explanation. "Just spit it out!" 

"You've got a week off!" Ramash noted her shock, and quickly tried to reassure her. "No, nothing wrong, it's just protocol for the transition from probation to officer!" 

Yaz breathed slowly, trying to calm the irrational worry in her chest. "Oh, God, I thought I was suspended or something!" She laughed, almost giddy with relief. 

"It's just some time off to help you to adjust to the level of work. I know you've been working at this level for a few months now, but it's just to ensure you're not suffering from any overt stress or mental health conditions." 

She sighed. "But I don't need to adjust! It's much more engaging than being a probationer, and much more interesting!" 

"I know," he said, smiling sympathetically. "If anyone didn't need this, it would be you. You always were the most capable." 

Yaz took a deep breath, and straightened up. "Well, I guess I'll have to make the best of it. I wonder what I'm going to do so I'm not bored out of my mind?" 

Ramash smiled. "I heard you moved out a few weeks ago. You could always go and visit your family?" 

"You know what? That's not a bad idea!" 

*****************************************************

After she had finished her shift (three drunk drivers, a non-fatal crash, a drug user and a lot of paperwork), Yaz had called her mum straight away. Once she had finished berating her for again not staying in contact, Najia said that it would be great to have Yaz over for the week, especially so she could _'keep an eye on her',_ and that she could come over straight away if she wanted. 

Then, Yaz had called Ryan and Bill, letting them know that she was staying with her parents for the week, so wouldn't be around as often as she had been. She wished, though, that she could have said goodbye to Jenny personally, but there was no time. 

It felt good knowing that she wouldn't have to go into the station on Monday. Yaz really loved her job, but maybe she needed this break more than she had realised. 

She grabbed her suitcase from the wardrobe where it had been unceremoniously thrown, and stuffed it with enough outfits to last her the week. Yaz also picked up her toiletries bag with a wry grin, aware that if she was forced to use Sonja's sulphide shampoo again, she might choke to death from the acrid smell. 

Yaz looked around the flat that, over the last couple of weeks, had begun to feel like home. She smiled, and turned, grabbing her suitcase and a jacket, leaving the flat without a backward look. 

*****************************************************

Yaz really didn't feel like dragging her suitcase around the winding streets for the mile to Park Hill, so she caught a bus that she knew had a stop near the flats. The traffic (miraculously) wasn't too bad, and she arrived in around ten minutes. She walked for a couple more, and there she was. 

Looking up at the block of flats where she had spent so many years, Yaz realised just how much she had missed this place. She walked through the main entrance, smiling widely. 

Of course, that couldn't last, and any nostalgia was instantly forgotten when Yaz caught a glimpse of the 'Out of Order' sign on the lift, which left her no option but to lug her suitcase up several flights of metal stairs until she reached the right floor. Thankfully, the increased fitness and stamina training she'd been doing seemed to be paying off, and she reached the 5th floor, she was barely out of breath. 

Yaz walked over to the blue-painted door that she had seen every day for almost 12 years. She still had her old key in her pocket, and she went to let herself in to her old home. 

Yaz walked into loud cheers from her mum and dad, and a 'Seriously? Why are we doing this?' look from Sonja. She laughed at the sudden overwhelming joy at seeing her family again. Even her sister. Maybe. 

"Guys, why so much fuss? I've only been gone a few weeks!" 

Sonja smirked. "Yeah, I had a bet with myself on how long it would take for you to come crawling back here, but I didn't think you'd not even last a month!" 

Najia grabbed a newspaper from the counter swatted her daughter with it. "Sonja! I said behave!" 

Yaz giggled. "And I thought I'd missed you guys!" 

Her father came over and hugged her. "Yasmin! It's great to see you! How are you settling in?" 

"Alright, yeah. I finished all of the unpacking ages ago, and the flat's really not that bad." Yaz smiled for a moment, the heard a squeaking behind her, and turned. 

"Ah! How's my favourite granddaughter?"

Yaz saw her nani coming out of the spare room, and heard her sister exclaim and her mother reproach. 

"Hey! What about me!" 

"Mum, what! I've told you about that!" 

Not turning, Yaz smiled at her grandmother, oblivious to the indignation rolling off of her sibling. "Nani! Now, you I've missed!" 

"Yasmin. How are you? It has been five months since I last saw you, and if it wasn't for this wheelchair, I'd still be in the home I shared with your grandfather, not in this cloud-touching hovel!" She smiled and winked at Yaz conspiratorially.

Yaz bent down and hugged Umbreen, then stood up, concerned. "Why are you back in the chair this time?" 

Umbreen sighed. It's my knees. Arthritis. I can barely walk. I don't have long left now, Yasmin, so I hope you know..." She beckoned, and Yaz leaned closer so she could hear the whisper. "...Your still my favourite granddaughter!" 

Yaz stood up again, both of them laughing, and Sonja glanced between the two of them, both nervous and angry. "What's going on? What are you talking about?" 

It was Yaz's turn to smirk, and she remained silent but tapped her forehead with one finger, knowing that it would absolutely infuriate her sister. 

Najia intervened. "I have dinner ready, if you want to put your bags in your room and sit down. Don't worry, I made sure your father went nowhere near the pot!" 

Yaz grinned, then excused herself to move her suitcase from the position where they were blocking the hallway. She pulled it into her room, and was met by her familiar walls covered with familiar, but so wrong, posters and photos. 

"Sonja!" Yaz turned to see her sister leaning on the doorframe. 

"What? You snooze, you lose!" Sonja sneered at her in the way someone who feels like they've won the argument sneers. 

Yaz took a breath, and smiled, perfectly nicely. "I just wanted to say how nicely you've done your room! I'm so glad that you didn't leave it growing dust after I left!" 

Sonja did a double-take so fast she almost got whiplash. "What?!" 

Yaz breezed past her, smiling, delighted at having found a new way to wrong-foot her sister. For the rest of the evening, she promised herself, she would smile sweetly at Sonja. Just to creep her out. She could still stare daggers at her sister when her back was turned. 

She left her suitcase in Sonja's old (smaller) room, then rejoined the table to a plate of actually very nice coconut dahl and homemade chapatis. Yaz didn't want to acknowledge it, but she'd missed her family more than she'd care to admit. 

It didn't feel quite like home anymore, but it was close. 

It was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm incredibly busy for the next week and I'll have very little time to write, so I'm taking a week off.  
> I should have a nice long chapter for Saturday after next, so see you then!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!  
> I've decided to drop the update slot to just the Saturdays, but hopefully I'll be writing longer chapters, so it's not all bad.  
> Hope you enjoy this, and thanks to everyone who has left kudos and comments so far, they brighten my day!

The next morning, Yaz woke up looking at a ceiling she hadn't seen from that position since she'd been 15, and Sonja - then 13 - had demanded the bigger bedroom to host a sleepover. It had been not long after they had moved to Sheffield, and she'd been keen to make a good impression on her classmates. Surprisingly, it had actually gone quite well, with a ton of sweets, drinking games with cups of squash and a dozen new friends waiting for Sonja when she went back to school.

Yaz had spent much more time adjusting to the social circles of the new school than her sister, and arrived too late in the secondary school period to ever really fit in properly. However, that had been infinitely better than the alternative of staying in London and continuing school there after what had happened. 

That had been nine, almost ten years ago. Yaz hadn't expected a sheet of suspended plaster to drag up these memories, recollections that were half-forgotten in the back of her brain. She sighed and lay back into the bed, letting her mind loosen its grip on the thoughts and drift blankly, almost dozing back off to sleep. 

"Yaz! Do you want breakfast? I'm making pancakes!" 

Hakim's voice cut through from the kitchen and directly into Yaz's tranquil state of mind, and she groaned, screwing her eyes shut and rolling over. "What?" 

"Pancakes! Do you want any?" 

Yaz smiled into her pillow, thinking of Jenny and the delicious pancakes she'd made. "You know what, I'm alright!" 

"But you love pancakes!" 

"Yeah, but not when you make them!" Yaz smirked as she heard her dad mutter about how he could actually cook very well, if only they'd give him a chance. She swung out of bed, quickly getting dressed from the suitcase she'd lugged into the room last night, and grabbed her phone as she wandered out into the kitchen. 

Perched on the soda arm, Yaz saw she had received two messages overnight, one from Ryan about not tearing her sister to pieces, as he remembered how they bickered in primary school, and one from Bill, saying that everyone was meeting up tonight, and it would be great if Yaz could try and make it. She smiled at the 'everyone', thinking of Jenny again. 

"Who is it?" 

Yaz jumped a couple of inches in shock, having been so engrossed in thought that she hadn't noticed Umbreen wheel up next to her. "Ahhh! That chair was not that quiet yesterday! You oiled the wheels specifically to sneak up on me, didn't you!" 

The older woman smiled mysteriously. "Maybe I did, or maybe I didn't. Anyway, it wouldn't have mattered, the whole flat could burn down around you, and you wouldn't have noticed. Youngsters and their portable telephones these days." She scoffed loudly, but Yaz knew she was joking, and grinned. 

Umbreen laughed. "Well?" 

"Well, what?" 

"Who is she?" 

Yaz was immediately on the defensive. "Who is who? I don't know what you're talking about! There's no-one, no clue what you mean!" 

The frown lines on Umbreen's face suddenly lifted away in mirth, and Yaz caught a glimpse of the beautiful young woman her nani had once been all those years ago. "Yasmin Khan, I have known you since the day you were born. I watched you grow up, go to school, get a job. I saw you come out to your parents as they realised what I had seen in you all along. I was there on the days where you came home crying, and the nights when you walked in looking like you had won the euromillions jackpot thingy on the telly. I know you as well as your parents, if not better, and I say you are in love." 

Yaz took a moment to process the short speech, before smiling and shaking her head slightly. "I'm not in love, Nani, it's just a crush. It'll pass. Eventually." 

Umbreen took her granddaughter's hands in hers. "You know, when I first met your grandfather, I knew I loved him. Deep, in here." She pulled one hand away and touched her breastbone, just above her heart. "My parents said that it would just be a phase, that it would pass, but I knew that he was the only person I would ever feel that way for. That love, I felt it truly, and so did he. And now I see it in your eyes as you smile at the pings you receive on that device. But in the end, it is down to you. You alone will know if you feel truly and deeply about this 'crush'." She straightened up again, folding her hands in her lap. "So now, what is her name?" 

Yaz smiled, surrendering the knowledge to the person who had always been able to see right through her. "Her name is Jennevie Smith. Jenny." 

*********************************************

Later that evening, Yaz was walking the streets of Sheffield. She had decided that it wasn't worth the bus fee to cross the city to get to Bill's place, and anyway, she needed the time to think. 

But right now, she let her mind wander, observing passers by in the street, thinking about where they might be going. Since she'd joined the police force, strangers hadn't seemed the same; there was always someone in danger, or committing an offence, or acting suspiciously. It was nice to let her mind go 'off duty', as it were, and just pass these people without having to sort them into categories of risk. 

It was only a twenty minute walk to the bar, and Yaz was soon met with the same bright lights spilling out onto the darkening street. She pushed open the door and slid in quickly, grateful for the rush of warm air that enveloped her cold frame. It was relatively quiet, but all of the familiar faces were crammed around their usual large table. 

"Well, you took your time!" Bill called out from behind the bar table as Yaz walked in. "Everyone else has been here for at least half an hour!" 

"Well, I'm sorry, but social interaction with my family is as hard and time-consuming as it's ever been!" 

They both grinned at each other, and Bill turned her attention to the large table nearby. "Oi, you lot, she's here, so try and sort out your bets quickly!" 

Yaz arched an eyebrow. "Seriously? You guys took bets on whether I was going to show?" 

Heather laughed and held her hands up. "Don't blame me! I told them you wouldn't like it?" 

Yaz watched in near disbelief as Amy slid a note across the table to Rory, and Rose passed another to Jack, grinning apologetically. "Sorry, but you seemed excited about staying with your parents for a bit, so I thought you'd be with them!" 

Laughing loudly, Yaz slid into an empty seat "Unbelievable! You guys are absolutely ridiculous!" 

Jenny smiled at her, and Yaz suddenly noticed the lack of monetary exchange from her. "No bets from you, then?" _Does she not care if I come or not?_

Jenny smirked at Amy and Rose. "Nah, a bet would have meant there was a chance that you wouldn't show." 

_Oh._ Yaz blinked in surprise. _It wasn't that she didn't care, just that she was sure I was coming._

They grinned at each other, and when she finally broke the gaze, Yaz glanced at Ryan, who was watching them with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. She glared pointedly at him, and he quickly looked down, but kept smirking infuriatingly. 

Jack picked up on the suddenly awkward silence, and changed the subject. "So Yaz, how sick of your family are you already?" 

Yaz laughed, and grinned at him gratefully. She threw herself into the conversation, and tried not to think about Jenny's lingering smile. 

Around two hours later, Yaz felt like they had exhausted every topic of conversation in human history. It was getting quite late, almost eleven, and it felt good to not have to worry about getting up for the Sunday shift tomorrow. 

There were surprisingly few people left in the bar for a Saturday night, and the building seemed like a haven, enclosed away from the outside world. Bill had come to join them at the table, acknowledging the lack of service. 

"I was expecting more business tonight. I mean, it is the weekend!" 

Jack laughed. "God, you complain about having to work all the time, then you say you're not working enough! Make up your mind!" Everyone grinned, and Bill chuckled at herself. 

Rose turned to Heather. "Speaking of work, how were the teenagers today?" 

"They were great. We had a few new people turn up this afternoon, and it's good to have fresh faces." 

Yaz frowned slightly, confused. "What do you mean, teenagers? Do you teach or something?" 

Laughing lightly, Heather shrugged. "Sort of. I run art classes at the Riverside Youth Club on Saturday afternoons. We get a lot of GCSE art projects, but there are quite a few kids looking to improve their general skills." 

Yaz grinned again. "That's really cool! Working with teenagers like that, though? I don't think I could do that. I find adults hard enough!" 

Everyone laughed, and Yaz continued. "What do you prefer to use? Like, which...what's the word...medium! Which medium?" 

"I used to paint a little, but now I mostly sketch. Drawing is just so...calming." 

Amy jumped in. "Also, she's really good. Like, seriously, really good." 

Heather sighed, and Yaz realised that this was a familiar point of disagreement. "Amy, I've told you before, I'm nowhere near good enough to go professional. I can't take requests, I can only draw what catches my eye!" 

"Can I...see?" Yaz asked tentatively. She was curious now, wanting to see the artwork that was so clearly admired by everyone in the group. 

Heather was slightly taken aback. "See it? Oh, well, yeah, of course, if you want to. My sketchpad's upstairs, I'll just go and get it." She stood up, gracefully moving over to the door that led up to the flat. 

After she had left, Yaz turned back to the group. "What was that about?" 

Rory was the first to answer. "Heather's a brilliant artist, we all know it, but she doesn't seem to. We've been trying to get her to take requests, but someone-" he looked pointedly at his fiance "-doesn't know the meaning of subtle!" 

Yaz nodded wisely, and deadpanned, "Ah, yes, that'll be the Scottish in her." 

The table practically exploded with laughter, and Amy rolled her eyes before grinning along. 

Jack patted Bill on the back, struggling to speak through the mirth. "I don't know what you did to find this one, but trust me, she's a keeper!" 

"Am I the only sensible one here? I leave you alone for a minute, and when I come back, you're all crying your eyes out with laughter!" Heather was standing by the bar table, sketchbook under one arm, smiling herself at the absurdity of the group. She beckoned to Yaz, who quickly stood up and walked over to join her. "Better light over here. 

Heather placed the pad gently onto the wooden surface and opened it to the first page. Yaz pulled it closer to herself to see the fine pencil stroked more clearly. "Wow, I wasn't expecting..wow, just wow." A gorgeous sketch of a pigeon filled the creamy white paper, inquisitively staring out of the page. "I'll never see a pigeon the same way again!" 

Yaz turned the page, engrossed in the artistic talent filling the book. A drawing of trees in a park, a sketch of Bill, the gentle ivory of piano keys, the dappled light on a lake, each one captured in near-perfect graphite lines. 

Heather saw one of the sketches, and her eyes widened in alarm. "Wait, Yaz, stop! Don't turn the page!" Her arm reached out to catch Yaz's wrist, but it was too late, and the paper fell downwards and revealed the next picture. 

"Oh." Yaz's eyes swept across the illustration. The straight geometric lines along the sides of the sketch showed the glass doors onto the balcony in the spare bedroom in the flat upstairs, but it was the subject that had made Yaz gasp. She had seen herself standing outside, hands entwined with another figure, drawn in perfect clarity. Jenny. 

Yaz glanced back at the table, where the blond laughed with her friends, then back at the sketch. The likeness was really quite superb. She looked at Heather, who was apologetically glancing down, away from her drawing pad. "I saw you talking, last week at my party. It was nagging at me, I guess, and I just had to get it down onto the paper." 

Yaz bit her lip slightly. "Is it really that obvious?" 

"With you? No, not really." 

Yaz was almost relieved, then she realised the implications of the words. "Wait, what do you mean, 'with me'?" 

Heather briefly closed her eyes, the only clue that she regretted her choice of words. "I only meant...I mean...well you wouldn't have seen it. Jenny, she's been on her own for a while. She used to have...well, it doesn't matter, but she hasn't had anyone like that for years. She has us, but she's...she's lonely, we can see it. But, ever since you came along, she's been more alive, more...hopeful." 

"Coincidence." 

Heather smiled wryly. "I thought you might say that. You can't see the bigger picture, only what you've seen since you arrived." She closed the pad with a snap that made Yaz jump. "Forget I said anything. Just...forget it." 

Heather went and sat back down at the table, but the chatter washed over Yaz as she lingered by the bar table. She made a decision, and firmly walked back over to the table as well, but grabbed her jacket and bag from her seat. "I'm heading off. Tired." 

"See you, then!" 

"Bye, Yaz!" 

Heather caught her eye as she left, and nodded, and Yaz smiled back gently. "Night." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That awkward moment when you realise that your friend knows about your secret crush


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short update today, barely had any time to write, but I wanted to write a chapter about a better relationship between Yaz and Sonja.  
> Hope you enjoy!

"Yaz? I need to talk to you."

It had just gone sev en in the evening, and Yaz stopped rummaging in the fridge for something edible to eat, and turned to her sister. "What is it, Sonja?" 

Her sister was loitering near the table, hand fiddling on one of the upholstered chairs. Sonja opened her mouth, but no sound came out. 

"Are you okay?" Yaz looked up at her sister properly, suddenly concerned. There was an unusual level of tension in her body, and she was biting her lip, a nervous action that Yaz hadn't seen since Sonja was a teenager. 

"Is something wrong? Are you ill?" 

Sonja grimaced slightly, then tried to speak again, this time succeeding. "Yaz, I'm...I'm pregnant." 

_Shit. _Then Yaz said it out loud. "Shit." She reeled slightly. "Wow, I mean...wow!"__

__Yaz looked at her sister again, noting how she was still tense. "You...did you...were you trying?"_ _

__"No, I was drunk, and Noah came over, and well, I forgot!"_ _

__"Shit." Yaz walked over to her sister and hugged her. "Have you told Mum and Dad yet? Or Noah?"_ _

__Sonja shook her head, her cheeks wet. Yaz hadn't realised that she'd started crying. "No, I wanted to talk to you first." She lifted her head up from her sister's shoulder and smiled weakly. "I know that we fight a lot, and that I've not always been a great sibling, but I trust you. I need you. Remember when you were 15?"_ _

__Yaz chuckled. "Yeah, you called the police after I'd only been gone for an hour."_ _

__"Yeah, and was I wrong?"_ _

__They both laughed. "Well, no. But you were worried I had left and was gonna do something stupid."_ _

__Sonja grinned. "Again, was I wrong?"_ _

__"Yea, well who isn't stupid when they're 15?" Yaz laughed, looking pointedly at her sister, who giggled as well._ _

__"Point taken, and I guess you're right. No one thinks straight as a teenager." Sonja put her head back on Yaz's shoulder and squeezed her for a few seconds, then pulled away. "Thanks. Thanks for being there."_ _

__Yaz smiled. "Are you going to tell Mum and Dad?"_ _

__Grimacing, Sonja bit her lip again. "Not yet. I don't think I can face that yet. You can imagine what they would say."_ _

__The worst thing was, Yaz could. It had been hard enough telling her mother that she was lesbian, but being pregnant would be something else entirely. "Are you going to keep it?"_ _

__"...I don't know yet. I'm not sure I'd be a great mother. I can't even get a job that lasts more than three weeks!"_ _

__Yaz touched her sister's arm gently. "You won't have to worry about money. I can promise that."_ _

__Sonja smiled at her gently. "Thank you. That means a lot." She turned to leave, but Yaz caught her arm._ _

__"Hey, let's watch a movie!"_ _

__Sonja scoffed. "With you? Seriously? Last time you were asleep before the end, and it wasn't even two o'clock! You are gonna fall asleep halfway through!"_ _

__Yaz laughed loudly. "I do not do that!" Sonja just raised an eyebrow. "I will not fall asleep!"_ _

__Sonja sighed, and flunked down onto the sofa, grabbing the remote and flicking on the television. "Alright. Let's see what's on."_ _

__Yaz sat down next to her on the couch, and put an arm around her shoulders. She felt her sister snuggle into her side and smiled gently._ _

__They were both wrong._ _

__Yaz was asleep within half an hour._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've hit a bit of a dead end with this fic, but I want to keep writing, so I'm just taking a break from it. Hopefully I will return with a new chapter at some point in the near future.  
> Ideas are always welcome in the comments!


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